Dundee have a secret weapon this season.
Though if he keeps thundering in long-range goals on TV, Josh Mulligan’s talent won’t be that much of a secret any longer.
Because the lower leagues get little to no coverage in the national media, players like Mulligan can go about their business unnoticed at times.
However, other clubs – bigger clubs – won’t have failed to notice the quality of Dundee’s No 15.
His contract comes to an end next summer.
Never mind bringing in more signings between now and the end of the month, sorting out an extension for Mulligan should be absolute top priority for the Dens Park hierarchy this summer.
They won’t lose him for nothing if the worst does happen at the end of the season – there will be a development fee, which can be of decent value.
But it won’t be a reflection of how much Mulligan is worth to the Dark Blues this season.
Only getting started
He’s only getting started, we shouldn’t get overly excited.
He has only played 24 times for Dundee in his entire career.
But Mulligan already has five goals, two of them in the top flight, and the last against Arbroath was an absolute beauty.
Watch: Josh Mulligan puts the icing on the cake for Dundee and seals the three points.
For all the post-match reaction:-
📺 Watch live on BBC Scotland
💻📱 Live text commentary on the BBC Sport Scotland website— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) August 12, 2022
Two goals in his last two games will boost his confidence no end, and the celebration for that stunner against the Red Lichties showed how much it means to him scoring for the Dark Blues.
Just imagine what a Mulligan with even more confidence can do in this division. It should drive fear into the hearts of the rest of the Championship.
But they will now begin to tighten up on the 19-year-old.
He’s quickly becoming a serious threat.
Strength
I called him a weapon because that’s what he is. Mulligan’s strength isn’t being a wonderfully-gifted ball-player content to keep possession until the time is right.
Mulligan is a battering ram of a midfielder and he will run right over the top of you if he needs to.
It really won’t take long for teams to double up on him, that’s something the youngster is going to have to learn to deal with.
But manager Gary Bowyer can use that to the team’s advantage – someone else will be free if defending teams do that.
What stands Mulligan apart from most up-and-coming players is the ease at which he goes past defenders.
It looks so simple.
But he’s doing it to experienced professionals, guys playing at this level for a decade or more.
A couple of touches and he’s past them, then it’s on to the next guy with only one thought in mind: get to the goal.
Paul McGowan will tell you how single-minded the kid is.
Not the only threat
Mulligan is the not-quite-so-secret-anymore weapon for the Dark Blues but they have more in their arsenal.
Mulligan has two league goals but Alex Jakubiak, Zak Rudden, Zach Robinson, Luke McCowan, Tyler French, Niall McGinn, McGowan, Lyall Cameron and Cammy Kerr are already in the goals this season.
Options are growing for Bowyer which bodes well.
Saturday at Cappielow, though, will tell us how serious Dundee are this season.
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